(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts New York company began its performances at New York City's David H. Koch Theater, at Lincoln Center on January 6, 2011. Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts has as its mission reviving China's traditional culture via the performing arts.

Shen Yun Performing Arts at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in New York City has its curtain call on January 13

Celebrated composer says, “Shen Yun brought tears to my eyes.”

Tomaczek Bednarek at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theatre following the premiere of Shen Yun Performing Arts on January 6, 2011

Tomaczek Bednarek, a music composer and the managing director of music and production for the Cinestage Media Group, called it "absolutely exquisite."

"You gotta go see this show," raved Mr. Bednarek, who has seen Shen Yun before. "It is absolutely exquisite. The work that went into this is magnificent."

"Wonderful, wonderful show," said Mr. Bednarek emphatically.

One of his favorite performances during the program impacted him because of the quality of the storytelling behind the dance and music.

 "The wonderment and the heart that went into the story, it is just something to see," he said of his favorite act. "It brought tears to my eyes."

Mr. Bednarek also praised the stage production of Shen Yun, which includes elaborate backdrops, advising people who see Shen Yun to, "Just step back and look at the majesty of all the different colors: the oranges, the blues, the reds, the gorgeous dances. The artistry."

"Definitely go and see this," Mr. Bednarek advised. "It is something very special. It comes around once a year. You gotta go see this one."

 "The beauty, the grace, the power, the strength"

Mr. and Mrs. Bonnett were visiting their son Mike in New York, who invited them to see the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts on Friday evening, January 14.

Each Shen Yun show contains more than twenty individual pieces, including authentic Chinese classical and folk dance, and operatic singing in the Bel Canto style.

Mike Bonnett, who has just finished a degree in business and works for a transportation company, was particularly struck by "Recalling the Great Qin," a Shen Yun piece portraying an artist who visits the excavation site of The Terracotta Army, a series of statues constructed during the Qin Dynasty some 2,000 years ago. The artist finds himself transported back in time as a Qin warrior, leading to a spectacular performance.

"It’s masculine, beautiful colors, the backgrounds," said Mike. "The choreography, it was gorgeous."

Mrs. Bonnett, a retired school superintendent of a school district in Washington state, and her husband, an architect, were thrilled their son had invited them to their first experience of traditional Chinese culture.

"It was wonderful," she said.

"Plum Blossom" stood out for her among dance pieces. "The colors, the blending of colors, just incredible," she enthused.

Shen Yun Performing Arts tours with a live orchestra consisting of both traditional Chinese and Western instruments, and the orchestra made quite an impression on Mrs. Bonnett, "The music was phenomenal, it tells a story, it’s soothing and comforting, and it gives quite a history."

Mrs. Bonnett explained that there were many facets to the Shen Yun performance that enchanted her.

"The beauty, the grace, the power, the strength," she said. "It’s quite a contrast, a lot of emotion, a lot of feeling."

Costumes bring history to life

After seeing a performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts, Marinique Dabissiere (L) and her sister, Vicky Dabissiere pose for a photo at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in New York on January 14, 2011

"Each costume represents a time, and tells a story about what was going on at the time, so, it’s really beautiful," said Vicky Dabissiere, an interior designer, after the performance.

"They talk about each time period through costume, and [through] dance itself," she said.

Vicky Dabissiere attended the performance with her sister, Marinique, a physician's assistant.

"It was excellent," Marinique Dabissiere said. "It was beautiful to see all those costumes, and the Classical dance, it was beautiful. When you look at everything in sync with the dances, it just came alive."

Each dance piece is accompanied by Shen Yun's unique orchestra that combines both classical Chinese and Western instruments. Marinique Dabissiere said the music "was awesome. It just blended really well together."